Students at the University of South Florida will be soaring to new academic heights , with drones .

College students will be getting their hands on more than just books at USF come the fall semester . The Tampa campus plans to offer remote-controlled drones for students to check out for school-related projects .

It 's a bold move considering that more places are starting to limit the access of drones , including the National Park Service , which announced a temporary ban on the use of drones on Friday . The NPS announcement basically bars the access of unmanned devices to 84 million acres of land in the U.S.

Yet , USF is taking a different approach to drones , making the technology more accessible to its students . The library purchased two drones with some leftover money from a grant to remodel its facility with new technology . These drones are capable of taking aerial video and photography .

The library 's hope is to integrate new technology to its services . In the past year , the library has worked to expand its `` Digital Media Commons '' in an effort to promote digital learning . Now , USF 's library is taking it a step further by giving students the opportunity to operate the drones , which are valued at $ 1,500 apiece .

Learn how to shoot amazing videos with drones

Dean of USF Libraries Bill Garrison says the drones could be a great resource for students working on multimedia projects , and sees the program working in conjunction with other departments at the university .

`` We have a global sustainability program , and they are mapping out the campus to see energy usage , so they can use the drones to help map out the campus , '' he explained . `` There are a lot of opportunities for research and learning by using drones . And the faculty can use it , too . ''

Flying these drones will not be as simple as swiping a library card , though .

Students will need to enroll in a training course before they can check out the equipment . They 'll also be required to provide an explanation on how the drone will be utilized in a school project , and they must be supervised by a faculty member while operating it around the campus . As of now , the program aims to keep the drones on USF 's campus unless a professor makes the case for an exception , and students will be liable for any damages to the equipment .

Garrison says the move to introduce drones to the school 's library service is part of a larger effort to stay relevant on campus by providing more digital learning tools .

`` One of the things many libraries have struggled with is how do you become a real part of the campus and not be viewed as a book warehouse , '' he said . `` I find it very exciting that we are able to do this , and I think the students will appreciate it . ''

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University of South Florida will let students checkout drones at its library .

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The drone rental programs aims to give students access to more technology .

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Remote-controlled drones will be flown on campus with faculty supervision .